Playing Catch Up

Oh, woe is me. I'm not doing very well at keeping up with my resolution. I am not having much success with the food photography. I need a better camera, although Josh seems to disagree with me. We'll have to get a better camera eventually cause I want to be able to take real pictures on all the vacations I keep planning. That is assuming we will ever actually get to go on them. I digress. One of the biggest issues, I think, with my food pictures is that everything I seem to read says one of the keys to great food pics is natural light. And by the time I have dinner done the sun is far away. And while dinner by moonlight is romantic, it doesn't create the best pictures. Oh well, hopefully as winter turns to spring and summer I will have more opportunities to catch my food basking in the warm glow of the evening sun. Anyway, last week, after the great Red Beans & Rice on Monday I made:

Parmesan Pork Chops w/ Roasted Zucchini & Thyme
Salmon Burgers
Penne with Zucchini & Feta

Most things came out great. The pork chops had issues, mainly because I used pork chops instead of the pork tenderloin cutlets the recipe called for. I happened to have some very thin pork chops in the freezer, so that's what I used. They have more fat than a pork cutlet would, and I think the fat prevented the breading from sticking too well. Also, I probably could have used more flour. It tasted good, but the breading would just sort of release while you were cutting your chop. I'll try the recipe once more with the proper ingredients before I write it off.

The salmon burgers were delicious as always. I enjoyed the one I had for dinner, and the one I had for lunch the next day.

The Penne with Zucchini & Feta is a prime example of how easily I can create food biases. While making it I was a bit iffy. Especially when I measured out the vegetable broth I needed. That stuff smelled absolutely horrible to me! But I dredged on through the recipe. As I was getting the last of the ingredients in it started to smell pretty good, aside from the vegetable broth I could still detect. When I sat down at the table to eat I was nervous. I had my first bite and thought, "Hey, this isn't totally vomit-inducing." By the time I had reached the bottom of my bowl I was quite pleased with what I had just inhaled. It reminds me of another pasta dish w/ lemon & feta that first time around I didn't think I liked that much. Lo and behold just a month or so down the line I found myself craving it, as did Josh. It's always nice when I can tell my tastebuds are growing. Anyway, I got the recipe from Poco-Cocoa who recently just called a time-out on her blog, which is a damn shame, it was one of my favorites. And she got the recipe from Cooking Light magazine. So, here is the recipe, and if you want to see a pic of it, I suggest you click here because my pics were pretty crap.

Penne with Zucchini and Feta

8 ounces uncooked penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise an sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano, zucchini, and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Stir in broth, rind, juice, and pepper. Add drained pasta and cheese; toss well.

Makes 4 servings.

Beans & Cornbread *jazz hands*

So, I did end up doing some baking this weekend, but it was pretty much a failure. I tried making some peanut butter cookies, but despite following the recipe to a T (with the exception of adding some pb chips, which should have no real bearing on the results) they were not a success. The problem had to be the cooking time, and not until I had enough dough left for 3 cookies did I get anywhere near a reasonable result. The recipe said to cook for 18-22 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through cooking time. I did just that and the first batch burned. So, I decided to bake the next batch of cookies larger, thinking perhaps my first ones were to small and cooked too quickly. That didn't turn out much better, just slightly less burned. Then I started reducing cooking time. I got slightly better results with each subsequent batch, but as I mentioned, by the time I got decent results from these changes I had a batch of 3 cookies. They aren't all terrible though, and Josh and I have been eating them anyways. They're pretty enjoyable drenched in milk.

Anyway, the point of this post wasn't the cookies, it's last night's dinner. Last night I made Red Beans & Rice, based off a recipe I ganked from Everybody Likes Sandwiches. I took some pics, but they were pretty crap. I really need a quality camera, cause mine can't seem to photograph food well at all. I've gotten a handful of decent photos, but for the most part they're all pretty blurry. Might be because I don't use the flash, but I can't use the flash when photographing foods. It looks crap, and I get a big reflection off my lovely Pottery Barn dishes. Anyway, I made this handy pic because I will never go back to the in-a-box style again. Josh made some cornbread for me while I chopped, to compliment our veggie meal. We both agreed that it would be great with some andouille, chicken, or shrimp on the side. And I had the yummy idea of crab cakes this morning too. But it was a great veggie meal by itself also.

Red Beans & Rice
Recipe from Everybody Likes Sandwiches; Serves appx. 2-4

1 cup rice*
2 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1 can of red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 small onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped*
1 green pepper, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 c salsa
2 tbsp dark rum*
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp red dried chili peppers, crushed
a few dashes of piri-piri sauce or your favorite hot sauce
1 tbsp honey or brown sugar (optional)*
dash of salt

• Prepare the rice per usual. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Add onions, garlic, celery, green peppers, and crushed red peppers. Add dash of salt and stir until everything gets wilty.
• Add in kidney beans, cumin, salsa, and hot sauce. Stir until everything is combined and heated through. Taste to adjust spices and add in rum or honey/brown sugar if needed. Simmer for a few minutes and serve on top of rice.

*I believe that the original recipe calls for white rice. Out of preference and laziness I chose to use my Minute brown rice instead. Tastes just as good, cooks faster, and is better for you. I also took the easy way out and used jarred minced garlic, instead of chopping up 6 cloves. I didn't have any rum, and wasn't interested in buying some just for the recipe, so I skipped out on it also. I added about 2 tbsp of water towards the end, to thin the sauce a bit. I also added just a tiny dash of brown sugar. This recipe was quite spicy, but I like spicy. You could definitely add more brown sugar, or alternately perhaps cut back a bit on the cumin and red peppers. Also, I made only 2 servings of rice and had some bean mixture leftover. Next time I will make 4 servings of rice for proper leftovers.

Cold, Cold Kitchen

I haven't actually cooked anything this week. I've been far too lazy, and the weather has just been too cold, which spurs on my laziness. Bad Jessica, cause I can't put much in this here blog without cooking something up. I did however spend most of Tuesday night plotting out my menu plan for the next 2 weeks, and making the grocery list for said menu plan. It can be a struggle to put together a plan that is balanced. I strive for half vegetarian meals, and to evenly plan when and what meat we will eat. I am a waster when it comes to fresh ingredients, and I hate to be. I try to plan meals that use some of the same fresh ingredients, without feeling like we're getting too much of a good thing. But I never use the entire bunch of celery, or spinach, or lettuce. I often end up throwing away half a can of beans or chiles, because I need to divide down recipes and then have nothing to do with a half of this, that, or the other. But I'm learning, or trying to learn anyway. I feel really successfull when I can strike a good balance between all these components. Also, we tend to eat a lot of some things. Zucchini is the thing that comes to mind. We eat a lot of zucchini. We will be having zucchini twice in next weeks menu, although in very different recipes. Eggplant may soon become a popular item, as the parmesan bake went over well, and I got a recipe from Everday Foods on PBS this weekend for a lasagna-like eggplant dish. Tonight will probably consist of me making some pasta. That's just about it, pasta. I have the urge to bake something though, and am looking over cookie recipes online right now. Perhaps we'll see an update before I get to the grocery store afterall.

You Learn Something New Every (Satur)Day.....

Today on Everyday Food on PBS I learned that the eggplant is not actually a vegetable. It is a fruit, and in fact a variety of berry. So, apparently we had new berries in our bellies this week.

Cold Weather & Warm Stew

In all honesty, I had no idea that it was going to get so damn cold and wet here this weekend when I decided to make a batch of beef stew in my Crock Pot earlier this week. But now that it's chilly & damp everywhere but in our tiny apartment, I am pleased to have a giant container of it in the fridge. This is actually the only recipe I have made with the Crock Pot my sisters got us as a shower gift. I registered for this one, not because I thought it would be perfect for us, but because it came with the additional Little Dipper Crock Pot. So, in the end we ended up with a 5.5 quart slow cooker for a family of 2. And I have yet to use the Little Dipper, ha. But, it is useful, and I have lots of other recipes that I am aiming to try eventually. I came thisclose to buying some pork spare ribs the other week, but it was the same week I was purchasing the stew meat, which isn't all that cheap when you need the family pack for your big cooker. Anyway, I follow an incredibly simple recipe from my mom's slow cooker owner's manual. She made it once or twice before and I always liked it. Josh loves this stew, and it's great to have something in the fridge that he can easily heat for lunch or dinner. And, once again I totally stole this pic from Everyday Food, despite it not being the same recipe. I don't have a pic of my own stew, and even if I did, it wouldn't look as appetizing as this one.

Slow Cooked Beef Stew
Recipe from Crock Pot; Serves lots

For a 5.5 to 7 quart slow cooker:

2 lbs. baby carrots
3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cubed
4 large potatoes, cubed
2 10.74 oz. cans tomato soup
1.5 cups water
2 1.5 oz. envelopes beef stew seasoning mix

• Cut carrots in half crosswise. Place beef, carrots, and potatoes in slow cooker.
• In a bowl, whisk together the soup, water, and seasoning packets. Pour over beef and vegetables.
• Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

Hint: I scrub the potatoes well and leave the skins on, it adds texture, nutrients, and fiber.

New Veggies In Our Bellies

Last night I made Baked Eggplant Parmesan. I'd only cooked with eggplant once before, and that was in a ratatouille, so I really didn't have a good idea of the individual flavors of the eggplant. Of course, between the parmesan, sauce, mozzarella, and herbs I might still be a bit in the dark as far as the eggplant goes, but I do know that I like this dish. And the surprising thing is Josh liked it as well. I served it over some penne, preventing Josh from giving me glaring looks between eyeing a plate covered in discs of vegetable and tomato sauce. He likes the veggies, but it can still take some creativity to make them appealing to him. Josh said he is "all thumbs up" for this recipe.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 8

Olive oil for baking sheets
2 large eggs
3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tbsp. for topping
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
Coarse Salt and ground pepper
2 large eggplants (appx. 2.5 lbs. total), peeled and sliced into 1/2" rounds
6 cups (48 oz.) store-bought or homemade chunky tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

• Preheat oven to 375°. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
• Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400°.
• Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Per Serving: 279 calories; 10.8 grams fat; 14.9 grams protein; 30.7 grams carbohydrate; 5.1 grams fiber

Salads and Resolutions

So, one of my new year resolutions is to start this blog up. I set it up before the wedding, and then had absolutely no time to commit to it. Also, I can't seem to take good pictures, especially when it comes to my food, so I kept putting off really getting it going until I could some how master the art of photography. Without actually bothering to learn anything about it, mind you. My new solution is to use the recipe pictures for now, when available, and only use pics that I have taken when it is absolutely necessary. Because I really hate recipes that don't come with pictures. How am I supposed to know if I want to eat something if I don't know what it looks like? Do I purchase clothes blindly, hoping that they will not be missing a pant leg? Nope. Then why should I go blindly into a recipe with absolutely no idea what the end result might be? So, anyway, without further ado, the first recipe on my teeny, tiny food blog.

Bean, Corn and Tortilla Salad
Recipe from Everyday Food; Serves 4
1 15.5 oz. can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 10 oz. package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 bunch of scallions thinly sliced (appx. 1 cup)
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted & cubed
3 plum tomatoes, thickly sliced
1/4 cup prepared medium tomato salsa,
plus more for serving
1 12 oz. romaine hearts, cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups broken baked tortilla chips
3/4 cup coarsely grated Pepper Jack cheese
Coarse salt and ground pepper

• In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine beans, corn and salsa. Microwave just until warmed through, 1 minute. Stir in scallions, avocado, and tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. Set mixture aside.
• In a large bowl toss lettuce and chips together. Divide evenly among plates; top with bean mixture and cheese. Serve immediately, topped with additional salsa, if desired.

Per Serving: 368 calories; 14.2 grams fat; 13.9 grams protein; 52.9 grams carbohydrates; 11.4 grams fiber.

My thoughts on this recipe:
This salad usually takes me awhile to make, because there are quite a few things to prep. This is especially true if I do not buy ready to eat romaine lettuce. However, the more I make it the quicker the process seems to go. It is an incredibly hearty salad, which makes it a great vegetarian dinner.